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futurejunglist · 3 years ago

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Future Jungle Sessions #78 // 8K.NZ Radio // 30.10.2021

https://www.gwarden.net // https://linktr.ee/gwarden_nz

LIVE on 8K.NZ ~ SAT 19:00 (NZST) // MON 02:00 // WED 05:00 // FRI 22:00

Decades - Dusk [Celsius Recordings]

Harley D - Gonna Be Alright [Cre8DnbMusic]

Urban Frequency - Wicked Girl [Promo Audio recordings]

Bcee - Crystal [Fokuz Recordings]

Data 3 - Molecular [Flexout Audio]

Bladerunner - Pressure [Hi Resolution]

Freshney - Resonantiae [NËU]

Annix, Simula, Emperor, K Motionz - Diagram (Emperor Remix) [Neksus Sound]

Grey Code - Opal [Metalheadz]

Nectax - Villain [Guidance]

Zombie Cats, Pythius - Alien (Pythius Remix) [Zombie Cats]

Transforma - Nebula [Code Smell]

Data 3, Bassi - Qubit [Flexout Audio]

Kusp - Oracles [Soul In Motion Records]

Zâr, Sahala - Taking Flight [Liquid V]

Saikon - Temperatures Rising [Spearhead Records]

Sonic Rain - Your Love [Four Corners]

Housty - Stella [Incurzion Audio]

Ingot, Kintsuku - Distance [Bay 6 Recordings]

Ivy Lab - 20 Questions [Drum&BassArena]

Alcemist - Us (Pola & Bryson Remix) [DnB Allstars Records]

Champagne Breakfast - Bullfrog [Vihara]

Flat T - Nooks & Crannies [Murky Digital]

Goddard. - Player (Monrroe Remix) [DnB Allstars Records]

Cosmology - Don't Give it Up [Soul Deep Exclusives]

DJ Hybrid, Haribo - Raised In The Jungle (T>I Remix) [Audio Addict Records]

Dan Structure - Echus Chasma [Delta9 Recordings]

Geostatic - Bad Prophecy [Transparent Audio]

HD - Spirals [Pray For Afghanistan]

Martial Taktics, Senso Zentinel - Katana (Teej Remix) [Audio Addict Records]

Kumo - The Beast [Liondub International]

MC Gusto, DLR - Deadly Chain [Sofa Sound]

Myth - Art Of War [Subtitles Music UK]

Sikka - Come And Get This [Sikkabrain Recordings]

Speaker Louis - Hackney Riddim [Hyperactivity Music]

PRTCL - Cold Cappuccino [Humanoid]

Xeomi, Kaiza - Drip [Bad Taste Recordings]

Xeomi, Kaiza - Evaporate [Bad Taste Recordings]

Benny V, Gella - Rebirth [Dance Concept]

Moresounds - Forward [Astrophonica]

Brainwork - Revival [Context Audio]

Midnight Sons - Bring It Back (Klute remix) [Midnight Sun Recordings]

Saikon - Guilty Pleasures [Innerground Records]

Benny V, Gella - Outer Limits [Dance Concept]

DJ Zinc, M.A.R.Y - Unshakeable [Bingo Bass]

Flat T - Shuttle [Murky Digital]

Drumsound & Bassline Smith - Jungle Dreams [Drum&BassArena]

Kusp - Run 2 U [Soul In Motion Records]

Midknight MooN - JUPITER DREAMING [2475980 Records DK]

Nectax, Sl8r - Andromeda [Guidance]

Monika, Oktae - Talos [Shogun Audio]

AYDN - Koda [Calibrate Records]

NickBee - You I [III Trident Recordings]

Sl8r, Somebody Else - Facking Jungle M8 [Grand Theft Audio Recordings UK]

Flipnosis - 90's Love [Informal.]

Champagne Breakfast - Give Me Love [Vihara]

Housty - Harmonics [Incurzion Audio]

Ingot, Kintsuku - Absent [Bay 6 Recordings]

latesleeper - Neck Deep [VALE (Various Artists Limitless Expression LLC)]

Skeptical - Imperial [Exit Records]

Solsan - In Praise Of Shadows [Pray For Afghanistan]

Mystical Sound - Brain Broke [Fokuz Recordings]

Surreal - Changes [Balearic Breaks]

Artsea, Fleur De Mur - Pretending To Know [onesevenfour]

Claude VonStroke - I'm Solo (Bachelors Of Science Remix) [Dirtybird]

Mystic Trip - In Our Minds [Fokuz Recordings]

L-Side, Mozey, Shady Novelle - Make Believe [V Recordings]

Pa - Que Club [Grid Recordings UK]

Wreckless - Lloyd's Building at Night [Dispatch Recordings]

Klinical - Around Me (Workforce Remix) [Overview Music]

Brainwork - Impatience [Context Audio]

Kusp - Bushido [Soul In Motion Records]

Ivy Lab - Options [Dirtybird]

Posk - Stacks [Sub-liminal Recordings]

EN:VY - Forget The World [Critical Music]

INK, Loxy, Loomis - Stranger Things [I.L.R. Studios]

Think Tonk - Gritteh [Space Cadet]

Sum - Selassie I [Liondub International]

Phibes - Like Whoa [Korsakov Music]

MC Fats, Paul T & Edward Oberon - Where Do We Go [V Recordings]

Jonny L - Hurt You So (Ed Solo & Dope Ammo Remix) [Kniteforce Records]

Above & Beyond - Homecoming (LTJ Bukem Remix) [Anjunabeats]

Biyi, Villem - Lately (Villem Remix) [tenwest]

EN:VY - Airplane Mode [Critical Music]

Damage Report - Bounce itch [Bulletproof Records]

Shy FX, Sweetie Irie, Cara Delevingne - Rudeboy Lovesong (Break Remix) [Cult.ure]

Murdock - Pull Me Down [Liquicity Records]

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krazygyal · 5 years ago

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Jamworld876’s selection of May 2020 releases

Check out our selection of last month’s releases. You may click on the the art covers in the gallery below to go directly to the album/single, or take a look at our listing by clicking here.

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May 2020 Albums

Anthony B – King in My Castle (Born Fire Music)

[Next: Lila Ike – The Experience]

5 years after the release of “Tears of Luv,” Anthony B is back with a brand-new album titled “King in My Castle,” also produced by Born Fire Music.

Despite sounding very classic, the title track is more than decent, and has a very catchy hook… “King in my castle, king in my castle, I’m a king in my castle.” The album incmudes a few other good tracks such as “Liberator,” and “Talk, Talk, Talk,” featuring Zamunda, on a modern recut of the “Boops Riddim.”

Some tracks like “Great China Wall,” which a cover of “Let It Be,” and “Be With You Everywhere,” featuring Chatal, are dispensable. One could add on top of this list, the couple tracks Anthony B voiced on commercial mainstream Dancehall riddims, such as “What’s a Woman Worth,” featuring Pressure, on a pop-oriented remake of the teribly annoying “Hold Yuh Riddim.”

“King in My Castle” info:

Release date: May 1, 2020

Label: Born Fire Music

Total length: 1:11:55

[Back to Top ↑]

Lila Ike – The Experience (In.Digg.Nation Collective DR)

[Next: Cali Roots Riddim]

Protoje‘s protégé Lila Ike comes forth with her debut EP produced by In.Digg.Nation. “The Experience” features 7 tracks, on which she experiments fusing Reggae with other genres such as Hip Hop, and R&B. She also delivers a couple Reggae tracks such as “Chance,” on a rejuvenated version of the “Promised Land Riddim.”

“The Experience” info:

Release Date: 18 May 2020

Label: In.Digg.Nation Collective/Six Course Music/RCA Records

Copyright: (P) 2020 In.Digg.Nation Collective under exclusive license RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

Total Length: 26:07

[Back to Top ↑]

May 2020 Various-artist albums & compilations

Cali Roots Riddim (Ineffable Records)

[Next: Sounds & Pressure Vol. 8]

Bermudian Reggae Dancehall artist Colin Patrick Harper best known as Collie Buddz rose to fame in the mid-2000’s with the release of the ganja anthem “Come Around,” produced by Crown N Kah So-Real, and featured on his eponymous debut album (Source: Discogs).

This year, Collie Buddz has decided to show off his composer’s skills and came up with the “Cali Roots Riddim,” featuring Anthony B, Jesse Royal, Gentleman, and many more.

“Cali Roots Riddim” info:

Release Date: 22 May 2020

Label: Ineffable Records

Total Length: 1:19:53

[Back to Top ↑]

Sounds & Pressure Vol. 8 (Pressure Sounds)

[Next: Agent Sasco – Loco]

The UK-based label Pressure Sounds releases the 8th volume of the series of compilation “Sounds & Pressure.” This compilation gathers singles alongside their version, that were recently re-issued on 7″ or 10″ records by the label. It features Ronnie Davis, Prophets, The Upsetters, The Aggravators, and more.

Sounds & Pressure Volume 8 by Pressure Sounds

“Sounds & Pressure Vol. 8” info:

Release date: May 29, 2020

Label: Pressure Sounds

Total length: 1:07:53

[Back to Top ↑]

May 2020 Reggae Dancehall single tracks

Agent Sasco a.k.a Assassin – Loco (Soul Circle Music)

[Next: Beenie Man – Make Money Plenty]

Agent Sasco delivers a mad Dancehall track titled “Loco,” produced by Soul Circle Music.

Watch “Loco” official music video on Youtube

“Loco” info:

Release date: May 21, 2020

Label: Soul Circle Music

Total length: 3:03

[Back to Top ↑]

Beenie Man – Make Money Plenty

Beenie Man has just released “Make Money Plenty,” a brand-new Dancehall single that was recorded on the “New Money Riddim.” The “New Money Riddim” sounds extremely familiar. Indeed, it includes samples from the “Unda Wata Riddim,” produced by Tony ‘CD’ Kelly.

[Next: Buju Banton ft. John Legend – Memories]

“Make Money Plenty” Info:

Release date: May 29, 2020

Label: Platinum Camp Records

Total length: 3:10

[Back to Top ↑]

Buju Banton ft. John Legend – Memories (Gargamel Music)

Buju Banton collaborates with John Legend to release the single “Memories.” The song is recorded on a riddim based on a savory blend of Reggae, and R&B.

[Next: Busy Signal – Di Na Na Na]

Info:

Release date: May 8, 2020

Label: Gargamel Music Co.

Total length: 4:01

[Back to Top ↑]

Busy Signal – Di Na Na Na (Channel 17 Records)

Because of the corona virus pandemic, clubs have been closed for months in many countries. Nevertheless, Dancehall artist Busy Signal releases the catchy single “Di Na Na Na,” produced by Channel 17 Records, to keep you dancing until you find your way back to the clubs some time after this summer.

[Next: Daddy Freddy – Number One]

“Di Na Na” Info:

Release date: May, 2020

Label: Channel 17 Records

Total length: 4:18

[Back to Top ↑]

Daddy Freddy – Number One (High Power Music)

UK-based artist Daddy Freddy releases the single “Number One,” produced by General Lee for the Jamaican Reggae label High Power Music. Here, Daddy Freddy delivers an good old-fashioned Dancehall song on a recut of the “Taxi Riddim,” with an authentic Deejay style.

[Next: Elephant Man – Quarantine]

“Number One” Info:

Release date: May 29, 2020

Label: High Power Music

Total length: 3:19

[Back to Top ↑]

Elephant Man – Quarantine (Energy God Productions)

[Next: Jah Cure – Chatty Mouth]

Elephant Man delivers a new self-produced Dancehall single about the covid-19. In this single titled “Quarantine,” he highlights the importance of staying at home, and following the measures of social distance in order to prevent the propagation of the covid-19. On a pitched recut of the classic “Martial Arts Riddim,” Elephant Man spits some meaningful rhymes in style, and proves that the “Martial Arts Riddim,” still has impact in contemporary Dancehall music, despite dating from 2002.

“Quarantine” Info:

Release date: May 6, 2020

Label: Energy God Productions

Total length: 2:24

[Back to Top ↑]

Jah Cure – Chatty Mouth (Yard Vybz Ent.)

[Next: Jonnygo Figure – Unemployment]

Jah Cure releases “Chatty Mouth,” produced by Baby G (Jammy’s) for Yard Vybz Entertainment.

“Chatty Mouth” Info:

Release date: May 8, 2020

Producer: Baby G (Jammy’s)

Label: Yard Vybz Ent.

Total length: 3:43

[Back to Top ↑]

Jonnygo Figure – Unemployment (Rebelmadiaq Sound System & Records)

[Next: Luciano ft. Runkus – Use Jah Words]

Jonnygo Figure delivers a social commentary about unemployment with an old-school style flow in a brand-new track titled “Unemployment,” produced by Genius T for Rebelmadiaq Sound Records.

“Unemployment” Info:

Release date: May 22, 2020

Label: Rebelmadiaq Sound System & Records

Total length: 9:18

[Back to Top ↑]

Luciano ft. Runkus – Use Jah Words (Oneness Records)

[Next: Mr. Vegas ft. Topo La Maskara – Go Go]

Runkus remixes Luciano‘s 2007’s single “Use Jah Words.” This new single was voiced on the very same riddim as the original, which was produced by Da Baron & Umberto Echo for Oneness Records (Source: Discogs).

Info:

Release date: May 22, 2020

Label: Oneness Records

Total length: 3:50

[Back to Top ↑]

Mr. Vegas ft. Topo La Maskara – Go Go (HVB Music)

Mr. Vegas and Topo La Maskara delivers a modern Dancehall club banger titled “Go Go,” produced by HVB Music.

[Next: Wayne Marshall – Everybody Talking Bout]

“Go Go” Info:

Release date: June 5, 2020

Label: HVB Music Group S.R.L

Total length: 2:50

[Back to Top ↑]

Wayne Marshall – Everybody Talking Bout (Covid) (Yard Vybz Ent.)

In a brand-new semi-acoustic song Wayne Marshall highlights that “Everybody talking bout corona corona corona corona corona…”

“Everybody Talking Bout (Covid)” Info:

Release date: May 1, 2020

Label: Yard Vybz Ent.

Total length: 4:27

[Back to Top ↑]

Summary of May 2020 Reggae Dancehall releases

Albums

Anthony B – King in My Castle

Lila Ike – The Experience

Various-artist albums & compilations

Cali Roots Riddim

Sounds & Pressure Vol. 8

Single tracks

Agent Sasco a.k.a Assassin – Loco

Beenie Man – Make Money Plenty

Buju Banton ft. John Legend – Memories

Busy Signal – Di Na Na Na

Daddy Freddy – Number One

Elephant Man – Quarantine

Jah Cure – Chatty Mouth

Luciano ft. Runkus – Use Jah Words

JohnnyGo Figure – Unemployment

Mr. Vegas ft. Topo La Maskara – Go Go

Wayne Marshall – Corona

[Back to Top ↑]

May 2020 Reggae Dancehall Releases Jamworld876's selection of May 2020 releases Check out our selection of last month's releases. You may click on the the art covers in the gallery below to go directly to the album/single, or take a look at our…

#2020 #Albums & EP

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thepantomathsblog · 5 years ago

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Train to become the green arrow

CAN YOU BE THE GREEN ARROW??

Hello everyone, even though I don't have much of an audience yet...So, every one of us has seen the CW's Show Arrow, Starring, Stephen Amell as The Green Arrow/Oliver Queen and a lot of us want to move and function like the green arrow.....but is what we want possible??..well the answer is yes!!..you can become green arrow (on a physical level... I am not sure if anyone can look like him...he's just too handsome)...And you don't even have to do much, and just to be clear I am not going to discuss how to be a great Vigilante, I am going to tell you how you can make your body as Functional As The Green Arrow (liked the green touch there??), so with that said...let's bombard you with all the things you gotta do...

1. TRAINING- To become The Green Arrow Some of you may have to train a little differently than you normally do, and for the ones who don't work out this is the perfect way to start this is how I started and Damn, my body is functional.....all you gotta add to your workouts is bodyweight training, you see Oliver Queen was trapped on an island for 5 years, so he didn't have much of a choice to keep his body fit he had to do bodyweight training like push-ups, pull-ups by grabbing the arms of the trees, etc, the goal is to involve as many muscles you can for doing a job, you are supposed to give it all you got, but it doesn't mean you strictly have to rely on body-weight training, you can also do Compound Lifts like deadlifts, weighted squats etc...basically do whatever you can to make your body functional (Oliver Queen did that, that's how he survived the island). Now, this doesn't mean you can't do isolation movements but what I recommend is that you should do it with Objects of different Shapes, by this I mean instead of doing a bicep curl with a dumbbell you can do it with a Schoolbag loaded with books because that's what'll make you functional not just Lifting Bars loaded with weights. and another thing that makes the green arrow...The green arrow is his core strength, A lot of people think that Core consists of just the Abs and Obliques They are WRONG Core muscles also include Glutes, Lower Back, and More...The reason why Core training is so important is your core helps you get you more stable and more athletic which the green arrow definitely needs as he is jumping around rooftops all night long and has to a lot of Hanging and stuff which needs the body to be stable(and also to do the Salmon Ladder). Now, Green Arrow also has to run a lot but we can not practice running in the quarantine so you can Google some HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) or LIIT (Low-Intensity Interval Training) but if you don't like doing cardio and stuff (Even I don't) then just play some magenta riddim and start dancing and trust me that'll do it.

Now I would like to take a minute to give a shout-out to The Bioneer youtube channel, it was his video on the same topic which inspired me to write this blog.

2.TRAINING NECK AND JAW MUSCLES: A lot of people don't know that training your jaw and neck muscles doesn't only Make you look Masculine and dominating but also helps you as The Green Arrow. As the green arrow Oliver has to fight people and Exchange punches, Having strong jaw and neck muscles helps you absorb the damage and take a hit and still be on your feet. Having a strong neck can also affect your other muscles like Traps and Delts and also helps you maintain a better posture (telling from personal experience it does help with your posture)...so the understatement is Train your neck and jaw.

3. Learn a Martial Art: This should not come to us as a surprise, we all have seen him fight, but even if you are not into Martial Arts you can still learn Boxing for Self-Defense, I personally have learned a little bit of Boxing and Kali martial arts (using one stick) and I also throw pretty good kicks from time to time...and training for a martial art also acts as a great cardio and also trains your whole body at the same time, It makes you a better and disciplined person and also sharpens your reflexes....and trust me good reflexes can come in handy anywhere, anytime.

Green Arrow also does a lot of parkouring and of course Archery, those are very important skills if you are willing to be like the green arrow....but I won't talk about them in this blog because this blog is about being functional so I don't have a reason to talk about archery and sorry, but I don't know much about parkouring.

4. NUTRITION AND RECOVERY: If you want to keep your body fit and functional nutrition and healing play a very important role in that...Think what Oliver will do if he gets in the field and hasn't recovered from last night's fight or is sleep deficient or is deficient in protein intake...yeah, He'll get his Ass kicked pretty bad, So make sure that you get all your vitamins(can take multi-vitamin tablets if you want) and also keep your protein and carbs intake nice and have 20% of your daily calories from Fats and make sure to take vitamin C as it helps with recovery(and also makes your skin glow..i mean green arrow also has flawless skin) and also make sure that you get 6-8 hours of sleep daily and try not to stress as much as possible.

5. THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE: This one's the most important...if you do this...you have gone through 25% of the work to become The Green Arrow Are you ready for this??....are you sure...get yourself a Bad-ass Green Hoodie and equally Bad-ass BOOTS and a Green eye mask And grow a stubble.

Thank you everyone for reading....and to be clear this blog's training is not for bulking but for functionality and you can also try doing some explosive exercises as the arrow is pretty explosive and has to jump high heights.

THANK YOU OLLIE FANS

#arrowverse #stephenamell #arrow #the green arrow #oliver queen #crisis on infinite earths #salmonladder #workout #functionaltraining

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djphemix · 5 years ago

Video

youtube

Charly Blacks & J Capri - Wine & Kotch Remix(martial-arts-riddim) - By D...

#wine & kotch #jcapri #charly black #dabcehall #raggadancehall

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freeworldimmigration · 5 years ago

Link

Cockroach! Produced by Wass'Muffin Academy. A funny song written by Cassafaya on a riddim composed by Jahnaton from Hemp Higher Productions, Rigga's record label from Switzerland. I called it "Muay Thai Riddim" because the instrumental was composed when Wassmuffin Martial Arts Academy was built in Bournemouth in 2017. This does not have anything to do with music but if you wonder what I am about, you can check www.fitterthanfit.co.uk and it will make more sense :) We make music but we also make lions at our gym in Bournemouth and our speciality is Muay Thai. Cassafaya, an Old School artists from Jamaica and friend of Wassmuffin for a longtime was the first to voice the Muay Thai Riddim with this funny Dancehall song "COCKROACH TOE". We have more talented artists on this riddim such as Queen Ifrica, Cali P, R-Tkal, Kemikal, Jahstorm, Jiero, Flexible and more to come. Talents from all over the world was involved in this project, Martinique, Switzerland, England, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, St Lucia, Trinidad, Guyana, France and now its time to let the rest of the world enjoy it with us. The Muay Thai riddim will be released on all digital platforms on 23rd August 2019. Thanks to all the real friends supporting Wass'Muffin, more music coming soon... One Love Wassouri Ps: Don't forget to subscribe to our channel :) www.wassmuffin.com Liked on YouTube: Cassafaya - Cockroach Toe - Wass'Muffin Academy https://youtu.be/8IRR-CqXXWc

#IFTTT #Blogger

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tropicalfete · 7 years ago

Photo

New Post has been published on http://tropicalfete.com/2017/12/04/ikaya-to-headline-cojo-scholarship-gala-awards-on-december-2/

IKAYA TO HEADLINE COJO SCHOLARSHIP GALA & AWARDS ON DECEMBER 2

Jamaican reggae, dancehall, R&B singer/songwriter Ikaya, one of island’s top female artists will headline this year’s fundraising scholarship gala and awards of the New York based non-profit Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) Inc.

The charity event will take place at the Hilton New York, JFK Airport on Saturday, December 2, 2017.

The hot reggae/dancehall singer welcomes the opportunity to visit New York in support of COJO and its mission of helping underserved children in Jamaica.

According to Gary Williams, Chairman & Founder of COJO, “We are pleased to have Ikaya as our headline artist this year which will ensure patrons have a diverse and varied entertainment package. We are eager to welcome this songstress who we hope will delight and thrill our guests who look forward to a great event each year”.

Ikaya blazed onto the local scene in 2001 when she performed on Capleton’s hit track ‘Fire’ on the Martial Arts Riddim produced by Kings of Kings. On the track, the young Ikaya belted out an excellent hook for the Capleton – Ikaya collaboration.

The songstress shows off her diversity and melodious styles with some of her various hit songs – ‘Hard Way’, ‘Good up’, ‘These Tears’ and her collaboration with Merciless ‘Amber Alert’. Ikaya is also known for her hit singles ‘Fly Away’ by Don Corleon and ‘Ain’t Giving Up’ which have been in the top five on the European Reggae Charts for weeks. Not only does she sing like the sweet breath of winds beneath the soul, Ikaya also proves herself to be a prolific deejay as well, standing up against the big boys in the industry.

Over the past few years since the start of Ikaya’s music career, she has opened for many big acts on local and international shows bringing to the world and her proclaimed fans a true sense of great quality music while perfecting her masterpiece.

All good work should be rewarded, and as such Ikaya took away the Stone Love Award for “Female Artiste of the Year” in 2010. In that same year, Ikaya received the award for the MIA’s (Music Industry Award) ‘Best Video of the Year’ for her single ‘Hard Way’ and the Hitz 92 FM’s People’s Choice Award for ‘Best New Artiste’.

Ikaya has worked with many noteworthy producers in the past including Don Corleon, Seanizzle, Flava McGregor, DJ Wayne, Zj Sparks , DZL Records and has done productions on the Kings of Kings Label.

A former student of the Wolmer’s High School for Girls and Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts – School of Music, Ikaya (Kadian Blair) is the daughter of former Waterhouse footballer Hugh ‘Bingi’ Blair.

A number of corporate entities including JetBlue have donated airline tickets as raffle prizes with several Jamaican hotels providing accommodation.

#Caribbean Cultural News

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globalmediaindustries-blog · 7 years ago

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More Life, More Convergence.

Blog entry #1 Global Media Industries

On March 18 2017, Canadian rapper Drake released More Life. Drake described More Life not as an album but rather as a playlist, dubbing it More Life: A Playlist By October Firm. Within its 22 tracks, More Life explores a myriad of different genres and sees the artist collaborate with a wide ranging cast of musicians, such as the London rappers Skepta and Giggs, the Jamaican singer Popcaan, and the South African producer Black Coffee. Drake has always been subject to criticism, but More Life only added fuel to the fire. In the wake of its release, the American online music magazine Pitchfork published an essay titled Mapping Drake’s International Wave-Riding on More Life, explaining how Drake was using the popularity of different artist from around the globe for his own good. In this short essay, I would like to explore these allegations in relation to the concept of media convergence, as explained by Henry Jenkins in Pop Cosmopolitanism: Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence (2006).

In order to do so, we need to define the term (media) convergence, which not as easy to do. Michael Latzer explains how the term’s definition is mostly an ambiguous one, stating that: “The strength and at the same time the weakness of convergence is its fuzziness and its multipurpose character, which it shares with other successful and widely used terms that bridge disciplinary discourses and research.” (Latzer, 2013, p. 124.) Jenkins agrees, explaining that we should see media convergence as “not an endpoint; rather, it is an ongoing process occurring at various intersections between media technologies, industries, content, and audiences.” (Jenkins, 2006, p. 154.) In his text, Jenkins gives multiple examples of how media convergence works in popular culture, for instance how the American motion picture The Matrix included the work of Japanese manga artists and martial art choreographers from Hong Kong, creating “an absorption of Japanese pop culture influences into the American mainstream.” (Jenkins, 2006, p. 168.) In a way, media convergence is the process of how technological shifts enable cultural cross-overs to create new, global markets for culture, or even influences of a culture, that before were only consumed locally.

This idea is very much present on More Life. According to Sheldon Pearce, the author of the aforementioned Pitchfork piece, More Life “scans like 80 minutes of club music from Canada, American, the UK, the West Indies, and Africa on shuffle. (…) One minute he’s using riddims ascribed to the clan name of Nelson Mandela, the next he’s arm-in-arm with UK rapper Giggs kissing his teeth.” (Pearce, 2017.) What is clear here, is that through More Life Drake takes different musical genres from around the world, and appropriates them for his own global market. Pearce points out that this type of appropriation has at least something to do with Drake’s own place in the world, Canada. Most of the music, maybe even all of the music, that is present on More Life is a form of so-called ‘black music’, be it Reggae, House, Hip-Hop or R&B. And “despite some subtle recoding in sound and slang by region”, says Pearce, “All black culture and music in the wake of the African diaspora shares some similar DNA. (…) Through immigrants, the music and its mannerisms reached Canada, where it has seeped into the very fabric of Drake’s home country.” (Pearce, 2017)

Pearce goes on to explain that Toronto, the Canadian city which Drake is originally from, is a melting pot of Caribbean culture. But to Pearce Drake is nonetheless an outsider to this culture: he explains that Drake has no direct lineage to Caribbean immigrants, and therefore “it would be misrepresentation to call it [West Indian culture] his own.” (Pearce, 2017.) His main allegation throughout the piece is that Drake is ‘wave-riding’, meaning that the music he appropriates has already been made popular locally, and Drake, through his use of misrepresentation, is the one taking credit for it. Clearly, Pearce view of Drake’s way of creating cultural and musical cross-overs is a negative one. In one particular paragraph Pearce writes that:

[Drake is] a swag vampire, a sound poacher, and an identity thief. It’s hard to believe his work as a global ambassador isn’t also mostly self-serving, or at least in service of building his wider OVO brand. In a bit of irony, Drake, who is constantly rapping about people using him for their gain, does exactly that to everyone else. (Pearce, 2017.)

Another musical example of this type of ‘self-serving’ would be Madonna and her use of Indian music. Jenkins writes about Madonna and her use of Bhangra that “as these trends continue, major American media companies seek new models of collaboration with international artists.” (Jenkins, 2006, p. 167.) This type of collaboration, which is at the core of More Life, is something Jenkins dubs ‘corporate hybridity’. According to Jenkins, hybridity is a corporate strategy, “one that comes from a position of strength rather than vulnerability or marginality.” (Jenkins, 2006, p. 167.)

Pearce says that Drake is not an ambassador of the multitude global genres he appropriates, but he only uses them to build his own OVO brand. But the question remains if we can really qualify More Life as a form of corporate hybridity. For an entrepreneur like Drake, business is always around the corner, but maybe he aptly titled More Life not an album, but a playlist – something that doesn’t come from one artist, but is curated, and is inherent to the use of featured artists. As Jenkins points out media convergence is an ongoing process, and also something that, business moves aside, can be the beginning of a more global perspective, maybe even when it's misrepresented.

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